Sometimes you do what you gotta do. As far as the gun being used in a crime-the crime is going to be committed anyway. Airports are tricky. You can have your wife drive you-and return alone thru a crappy neighborhood. You can carry a less expensive weapon and secure it in a compartment-but most lock boxes are not that secure. You can take your gun on the plane-but pretty much have to walk from the car to the airport with an unloaded, cased gun. There are no really good solutions.

quote:

Car Thefts Spiking in DFW, Law Enforcement Urges Drivers to Take Preventative Measures

quote:

Man flies out of DFW twice in a year, has catalytic converter stolen both times
One Rowlett man can't believe his luck after his truck's catalytic converter was snatched by thieves the last two times he's flown out of DFW International Airport.

What possible precautions could I take to prevent my catalytic converter from being stolen?

I would think some of the responsibility here must be with whoever owns the parking garages. If I remember correctly it is NOT CHEAP to park in the provided parking lots.

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:

You can take your gun on the plane

Unfortunately, that won't work if you're not legal to have it with you at your destination.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by Rawny:
Those two are the likely culprits then. The guilty ones are always the most willing to help sabotage you.

So, are you accusing the cops of being the thieves? Not sure if serious.

I was serious, but I thought he filed the report with the parking lot attendants/security at the airport. I need to read more carefully.

quote:

Originally posted by rscalzo:

quote:

Car Thefts Spiking in DFW, Law Enforcement Urges Drivers to Take Preventative Measures

quote:

Man flies out of DFW twice in a year, has catalytic converter stolen both times
One Rowlett man can't believe his luck after his truck's catalytic converter was snatched by thieves the last two times he's flown out of DFW International Airport.

Strangely enough I’d seen this story a while back. My truck is old enough (13 years) that I don’t think there’s a whole lot of value in anything on it anymore. Heck I guess when I need a new cat I know where to go shopping.

"Holster is still there, spare mag is still there, cash, sunglasses, hell the keys to the truck"

Damn, where did you grow up? I grew up in Baltimore City and I don't even leave a pack of gum in my car because I don't want it to get stolen. Any type of long term parking is a double no no. Sorry you had to learn this lesson the hard way.

quote:

Originally posted by AirmanJeff:
"Holster is still there, spare mag is still there, cash, sunglasses, hell the keys to the truck"

Damn, where did you grow up? I grew up in Baltimore City and I don't even leave a pack of gum in my car because I don't want it to get stolen. Any type of long term parking is a double no no. Sorry you had to learn this lesson the hard way.

I don't want to pile on, but leaving cash, sunglasses, and keys is pretty thoughtless, let alone the gun.

I take a taxi to the airport, always. Besides the whole getting all your stuff stolen, you're like to return to door dings at best or worst case giant dents.

I guess we're lucky down here. Leaving things in a vehicle isn't even an issue, at least where I live. Now, I don't leave stuff laying out where folks can see it, but still. A couple odd bills in the center console along with the holster/spare mag is about as much as is in there to begin with. Just seemed odd that they'd pass on what is literally free money while going for the gun. I guess I'd make a horrible thief...

Unfortunately, I live much to far away for a taxi or wife transport to be feasible. And this was in the garage adjacent to the terminal there at DFW. Costs something like $30/day so this isn't so far flung remote lot with minimal security. This is high traffic area with a lot of activity and constant police presence (every time I'm there I see patrols either on foot or on UTV through the garage).

Don't feel too bad SigM4, here in Michigan we had a former county Sheriff's suv broken into IN HIS DRIVEWAY. Thieves used a duplicated/hacked? keyfob to pop his locks. Was big news here for a couple days but media never asked why gun was unattended at his house! not secured, just dropped in center console like you describe. I think if had happened to me, I'd at least have been chastised. Life of the politically protected I guess. Sorry about your loss dude. I do hate a thief.

If your doors were locked, then the gun was already in a locked container.

Why feel bad because some shithead chose to commit a crime by taking something from a locked vehicle? If you'd left the gun or gun related items in plain sight, left the vehicle unlocked, had the vehicle plastered with gun stickers, then maybe some reflecting back on why those actions were a bad idea might be warranted.

Would you have felt this bad if the thief had stolen the vehicle and gotten it into a wreck? It's an honest question, since the vehicle itself can be used to easily harm as many people as the handgun, and it was left in public, not locked up in a garage. You could've done even more to prevent it by taking the computer or ignition coil packs with you.

Since anything a human being can manipulate can be a weapon, there is some equivalence. You have no control over what other people do to your stuff when you're not around to defend it unless you post an armed guard or leave a large dog in the vehicle whom you've convinced the vehicle is his.

I doubt the safe would've deterred the thief much anyway.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: the_sandman_454,

It really makes you ache when a thief strikes... nothing worse than a thief... quick story... I recently traveled a couple hours to a well known gun show. Stretched and left my gear in the truck and went to use the head. Locked my truck but left my driver side window fully down.... came back and found nothing gone or molested in any way... gun shows and people that go to them are evil.... NOT!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

Originally posted by AirmanJeff:
"Holster is still there, spare mag is still there, cash, sunglasses, hell the keys to the truck"

Damn, where did you grow up? I grew up in Baltimore City and I don't even leave a pack of gum in my car because I don't want it to get stolen. Any type of long term parking is a double no no. Sorry you had to learn this lesson the hard way.

I don't want to pile on, but leaving cash, sunglasses, and keys is pretty thoughtless, let alone the gun.

I take a taxi to the airport, always. Besides the whole getting all your stuff stolen, you're like to return to door dings at best or worst case giant dents.

If you get picked up at home then the taxi driver knows you are gone.

Whenever I take a cab I have a story for the driver. I tell them that my brother and his family were on vacation and that he has to go on a business trip. He didn’t want to take everything with him so I’m meeting him at the airport, trading him bags and riding home with my SIL.

I don’t like to lie but it’s preferable to telling a stranger the truth that I’m going to be out of town.

Sorry your gun got stolen, SigM4.

I'm not piling on. Not even criticizing. But I would be disinclined to leave a firearm in a vehicle in a parking garage anywhere, for any length of time, much less an airport parking garage and for days. "Safe" or no "safe."

I dislike being unarmed, but, for the ±hour drive to/from the airport, I will.

I leave guns hidden in both my vehicles. I work in a hospital and wear scrubs. I can’t carry at work and have been confronted by shitbags in the parking lot before because I refused to prescribe them narcotics. It’s also happened (not to me) that these shitbags will follow you home. One of our female docs came out to her car at the end of her shift to find a bullet hole in her fender/hood. I also get new cars very regularly so installing boxes would be a giant pain. I’m on my 4th car this year alone. For now I will keep hiding guns in my car and hope no one steals them. I do purchase inexpensive guns for this duty and currently have 2 Taurus 709’s stashed.

quote:

I leave guns hidden in both my vehicles. I work in a hospital and wear scrubs. I can’t carry at work and have been confronted by shitbags in the parking lot before because I refused to prescribe them narcotics. It’s also happened (not to me) that these shitbags will follow you home. One of our female docs came out to her car at the end of her shift to find a bullet hole in her fender/hood. I also get new cars very regularly so installing boxes would be a giant pain. I’m on my 4th car this year alone. For now I will keep hiding guns in my car and hope no one steals them. I do purchase inexpensive guns for this duty and currently have 2 Taurus 709’s stashed.

I would be bitching to admininstration about the lack of security in Doctor's Parking. Our lot is adjacent to the hood, but at least security is out there a good bit.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

I would be bitching to admininstration about the lack of security in Doctor's Parking. Our lot is adjacent to the hood, but at least security is out there a good bit.

My wife was on staff at the mental health unit of a local hospital. "Security," you say? The security staff there was a total joke.

On the other hand, a friend of mine works for a security company. He is the type of guy who will do everything the way it should be done, and he is the only security guard at the clinic who routinely escorts female staff to their vehicles.

quote:

My wife was on staff at the mental health unit of a local hospital. "Security," you say? The security staff there was a total joke.

On the other hand, a friend of mine works for a security company. He is the type of guy who will do everything the way it should be done, and he is the only security guard at the clinic who routinely escorts female staff to their vehicles.

Our hospital changed after Katrina.

My drill when parking at the airport is such:
My Focus has everything removed from every cubby hole, and put into a box in may garage. I take the rear shelf off, and fold the back seat down. glove compartment and console are left open and empty. I carry the garage door opener with me(battery removed to prevent accidental transmission of RF). I also take the registration and proof of insurance with me on my trip(I don't want to leave my address and "key" to my garage while I'm gone).

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

quote:

I leave guns hidden in both my vehicles. I work in a hospital and wear scrubs. I can’t carry at work and have been confronted by shitbags in the parking lot before because I refused to prescribe them narcotics. It’s also happened (not to me) that these shitbags will follow you home. One of our female docs came out to her car at the end of her shift to find a bullet hole in her fender/hood. I also get new cars very regularly so installing boxes would be a giant pain. I’m on my 4th car this year alone. For now I will keep hiding guns in my car and hope no one steals them. I do purchase inexpensive guns for this duty and currently have 2 Taurus 709’s stashed.

I would be bitching to admininstration about the lack of security in Doctor's Parking. Our lot is adjacent to the hood, but at least security is out there a good bit.

Hahahaha your funny. I used to work at a hospital were a mental patient walked into the lobby of the behavioral health building and shot 5 people....security still isn’t armed. Not to long ago I had to put a patient in a head lock who was man handling one of the nurses. Security stood by and watched. You are talking about an industry that actively downplays assaults on its staff as to not offend the “customers” aka patients. Health care workers have been fired for reporting Assaults tonthr police. Just like our health, our security is the last thing hospital admistrations care about.